Straight knitting machines with circulating sliding heads

ABSTRACT

A straight knitting machine having two parallel needle beds and a plurality of adjacent sliding heads that circulate in a constant direction over the beds via curved connecting tracks at the ends of the beds. Adjustable spacing pins and guide bolts, engagable in cavities on the adjacent side of the next head in succession, ensure that the heads are always uniformly spaced from each other as they pass over the needle beds.

United States Patent Schieber et al. Oct. 7, 1975 STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES WITH 2,821,073 l/1958 Mehnert 66/64 CIRCULATING SLIDING HEADS 3,456,459 7/1969 Doughty 66/64 X 3,751,944 8/1973 Krause 66/64 [75] Inventors: Hans Schieber; Erich Krause, both of Bopfingen, Germany Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum [7:] Asslgnee' Umversal Maschmenfabnk Attorney, Agent, or FirmSughrue, Rothwell, Mion,

Rudolf Schieber KG, Westhausen, Zinn & Mac eak Germany p [22] Filed: Aug. 27, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 500,962 [57] ABSTRACT A straight knitting machine having two parallel needle 30 F A l t P t D t g g pp lea y a a beds 3,4 and a plurallty of ad acent sliding heads 2 that Sept. l 73 Germany 2344809 cir e in a c st nt direction Over the beds i I curved connecting tracks 5,6 at the ends of the beds. Adjustable spacing pins 15 and guide bolts 17, u a 6 u u 6 6 s 6 u 6 6 6 6 u" I v 6 6 6 n [58] Field of Search 66/60 64 H head in succession, ensure that the heads are always [56] References Cited grifggrglllye sbpeaicsed from each other as they pass over UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 2,705,408 4/1955 Mehnert 66/64 US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 1 of4 3,910,071

US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,910,071

Flg 2 US. Patent Oct. 7,1975

Sheet 3 of 4 US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 4 of 4 3,910,071

q 22 21 Fi6 F 9' 1 9 O i Fig.7

Fig.8

BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a straight knitting machine comprising separate sliding heads circulating over the needle boards.

2. Description of the Prior Art Straight knitting machines with circulating sliding heads and comprising two or more pairs of needle boards arranged adjacent to each other and in series are already known. In contrast to straight knitting machines comprising reciprocating sliding heads, these machines are not provided with vertically arranged driving sprockets but with flat dirving sprockets. This is necessary, for example, in order to guide the sliding heads from one pair of needle boards to the pair of needle boards arranged parallel therewith. This method of changing the direction of the sliding heads which involves a different construction of the apparatus as compared to straight knitting machines with reciprocating sliding heads produces specific problems.

In the case of straight knitting machines with reciprocating sliding heads, independent of the drive means employed, the sliding head is decelerated to zero during reversing and is then accelerated from zero to its predetermined speed. However, in the case of straight knitting machines with circulating sliding heads, the sliding heads are not decelerated during the turning movement but acceleration occurs. Proceeding from the premise that the circulating sliding heads are connected to the drive means by the cam boxes displaced on the inner track, the cam boxes being displaced on the outer track have to move in the same period of time over a substantially greater distance corresponding to the distance between the tracks. The increase in speed causes an increase in the centrifugal force and disrupts the movement of the sliding heads during the turn and also elsewhere. The spacing from sliding head to sliding head is thus uncontrollably subject to constant change. This disadvantage has a significant influence on the efficiency of the machine in a quantitative respect.

A further disadvantage in the case of straight knitting machines with circulating sliding heads over machines with reciprocating sliding heads is the unfavorable relationship of the length of the cam boxes to the total width of the sliding heads. This relationship of the length of the cam boxes to the width of the sliding heads which is disadvantageous in terms of guiding arrangementsis unfavorable for various reasons: short sliding heads can be better guided above curved tracks which are advantageous from the point of view of the space requirements of the machine. With short sliding heads, more sliding heads can be provided than with broad sliding heads; spacing between individual sliding heads is minimal. The more sliding heads the machine can hold, the higher the production thereof. In addition, short sliding heads lead to weight reductions which has a positive effect on the speed and thus on the efficiency of the machine.

However, what is advantageous with short sliding heads in terms of judging the quantitative efficiency of the machine leads to disadvantages when it comes to obtaining a high grade performance in terms of quality. Because of the short sliding heads, the heads tend to tilt with respect to each other and also with respect to the needle board and this causes an uneven movement of the sliding heads. To obtain a good quality knitted product, it is necessary for there to be a uniform spacing with respect to the needle boards as well as constant spacing with respect to the knocking over combs and a steady, regular movement of the sliding heads.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages of straight knitting machines with circulating sliding heads and to produce a machine in which the sliding heads move in the working region of the needle boards in a steady, uniform manner at a constant distance from the other parts of the machine.

This problem is solvedaccording to the invention in thatthe circulating sliding heads are kept a specific distance from each other in the Working range of the needle boards by means of range spacers mounted on the sliding heads and are fixed in position with respect to each other at right angles to the direction of movement by means of guide elements mounted on the sliding heads and'displaceable in the direction of movement.

By means of the range spacers and guide elements it is ensured that the sliding heads'move in the operating range of the needle boards :in a steady and uniform manner similar to a long er sliding head and that in the turning region they are displaced in the manner of short sliding heads. I i

For maintaining the spacing between individual sliding heads, distance pins which are advantageously adjustable are provided as the range spacers. This provides for a simple and easily adaptaptable construction of the range spacers.

The guide elements advantageously consist of guide bolts arranged on the front sides of the sliding heads. In the working range of the needle boards, these guide bolts engage in guide boxes on the opposite from sides of adjacent sliding heads. This allows for automatic insertion and removal of the guide bolts into and out of the guide boxes when the sliding heads reach or leave the straight guide tracks of the working region of the needle boards. v i p j Automatically engaging safety catches are advantageously provided on the sliding heads to serve as coupling meansin the working region of the needle boards and a lifting flank is advantageously provided on the knitting machine at the end of the working region of the needle boards to release the coupling.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof whichis provided with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a front view of a straight knitting ma chine according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of this straight knitting ma chine. I

FIG. 3 shows a partial view of two adjacent sliding heads of the machine on the curved section of track.

FIG. 4 shows a partial view of two adjacent sliding heads with abutting distance pins and guide bolts sitting fully in the guide box.

FIG. 5 shows a partial view of two adjacent sliding heads at the beginning of the curved track.

FIG. 6 shows a view of the safety catch on two adja adjacent sliding heads whilethe safety catch is cent sliding headsat the beginning of the curved track.

FIG. shows a view of the safety catch of two adjacent sliding heads in the coupled state, and

FIG. 8 shows a view of the safety catch between two being raised by a lifting flank.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 and 2 show diagrammatic views of a straight knitting machine 1 having circulatingsliding heads 2, 2a, 2b. In the embodiments shown, the sliding heads 2, 2a, 2b, pass over two working zones or regions, namely thepairs of needle boards 3 and 4 (FIG. 2). Between one working region and the other, the sliding heads 2, 2a, 2b, are routed via the curved tracks 5 and 6. The curved tracks 5 and 6 are provided with inner guide rails 7 and outer guide rails 8. The sliding heads 2, 2a, 2b, are driven by..a drive chain 9 which is guided over sprockets 10 and 11. synchronization device 12 connects the sliding heads 2, 2a, 2b, to the drive chain 9. The sliding heads 2, 2a, 2b, move in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 and on reaching the curved track sections 5 and 6 undergo a change in the spacing be tween the sliding heads 2a, 2b, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2. As was described initially, this and various other factors tend to disrupt the movement of the sliding heads. To ensure that the movement of the sliding heads in the region of the needle spaces 13, 14, in the working region of the needle boards 3, 4, is mainly steady and undisturbed, the sliding heads are provided with devices for ensuring the even movement thereof.

In FIGS. 3 5, a distance pin 15 is shown which maintains the spacing between a succeeding sliding head 2b and a preceding sliding head 2a. The distance pin 15 is adjustable and adapted to be checked by means of a nut 16.

FIGS. 3 5 show other guide bolts 17 on the front sides of successive sliding heads 2b and guide boxes 18 in the opposite front sides of adjacent preceding sliding heads 2a at different stages of the movement of a sliding head. FIG. 3 shows the cut-away sections of two sliding heads 2a, 2b, on the curved track where there is a considerable distance between the sliding heads 2a and 2b. In FIG. 4, the sliding heads 2a, 2b, have left the curvedtrack and have drawn closer to each other to adopt their predetermined spacing. The distance pin 15 of the sliding head 2b rests on the front side of the sliding head 2a and the guide bolt 17 of the successive sliding head 2b fits right in the guide box 18 of the sliding head 2a. This connection prevents the sliding heads 2a and 2b from tilting and thereby changing their precise position with respect to the needle boards 3, 4. FIG. 5 shows the point at which the sliding heads 2a and 2b have left the straight track over the needle boards 3, 4; the distance between successive sliding heads has increased. The distance pin 15 of the sliding head 2b no longer rests on the sliding head 2a and the guide bolt 17 of thefollowing sliding head 2b has slipped out of the guide box 18 of the preceding sliding head 2a.

'FIG. 6 also represents the stage of the curved track section with two sliding heads 2a and-2b. In this view, a safety catch 19 of the preceding sliding head 2a is out of engagement with an entrainment axis 21 of the succeeding sliding head 2b. FIG. 7 shows the safety catch 19 of the sliding head 2a in engagement with the engagement nose 21 of the sliding head 2b; the sliding heads 2a and 2b are coupled and move on the straight track over the needle boards 3 and 4. Before entering the curved track, the safety catch 19 of the sliding head 2a is raised by a lifting flank 20 with inclined surfaces so that the coupling nose 21 releases the succeeding sliding head 2b.

When the sliding heads 2a and 2b then leave the curved track, as the sliding heads 2a and 2b draw closer to each other, the safety catch 19 is raised by an inclined surface 22 on the coupling nose 21. As soon as the sliding heads 2a and 2b then reach their predetermined spacing for the straight track over the needle boards,'the safety catch 19 is engaged and couples the sliding heads 2a and 2b.

What is claimed is:

l. A straight knitting machine comprising at least two pairs of needle beds and a plurality of knitting carriages circulating over said needle beds in a continuous path extending in a closed loop for sequential cooperation of needles in said needle beds with the carriages, characterized in that the circulating knitting carriages (2, 2a, 2b) are kept at a specific distance from each other in the working region of the needle beds (3, 4) by range spacers mounted on the carriages and are kept immovable with respect to each other at right angles to the direction of movement by guide elements mounted on the carriages and displaceable in the direction of move- 'rrent. 35

2. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a coupling is providing on the carriages (2, 2a, 2b) which is separatable in the turning region of the carriages.

3. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatdistance pins (15) are provided as range spacers.

4. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the distance pins (15) are adjustablel 5. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 1,

characterized in that as guide elements guide bolts 17) are arranged on the front sides of the carriages (2b); said guide bolts engaging in guide boxes (18) on the opposite front sides of adjacent carriages (2a) in the working region of the needle beds (3, 4).

' 6. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that automatically engaging safety catches (19) are provided on the carriages (2, 2a, 2b) as coupling means in the working region of the needle beds (3, 4).

7. A straight knitting machine according to claim 6, characterized in that a lifting flank (20) is provided on the knitting machine at the end of the working region of the needle beds (3, 4) to release the coupling. 

1. A straight knitting machine comprising at least two pairs of needle beds and a plurality of knitting carriages circulating over said needle beds in a continuous path extending in a closed loop for sequential cooperation of needles in said needle beds with the carriages, characterized in that the circulating knitting carriages (2, 2a, 2b) are kept at a specific distance from each other in the working region of the needle beds (3, 4) by range spacers mounted on the carriages and are kept immovable with respect to each other at right angles to the direction of movement by guide elements mounted on the carriages and displaceable in the direction of movement.
 2. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a coupling is providing on the carriages (2, 2a, 2b) which is separatable in the turning region of the carriages.
 3. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that distance pins (15) are provided as range spacers.
 4. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the distance pins (15) are adjustable.
 5. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that as guide elements guide bolts (17) are arranged on the front sides of the carriages (2b); said guide bolts engaging in guide boxes (18) on the opposite front sides of adjacent carriages (2a) in the working region of the needle beds (3, 4).
 6. A straight knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that automatically engaging safety catches (19) are provided on the carriages (2, 2a, 2b) as coupling means in the working region of the needle beds (3, 4).
 7. A straight knitting machine according to claim 6, characterized in that a lifting flank (20) is provided on the knitting machine at the end of the working region of the needle beds (3, 4) to release the coupling. 